reaction time

[FiveFrameSwing]

Seems like it even took a pro awhile to learn that timing stuff.

But at 8 or 10u, I am going to have them move up in the box to tune their eyes, same as front tossers get close to simulate speed. Most of the issue is that kids almost universally freeze against fast pitching they haven not seen before.

I consider the “early and slow start” to be the “holy grail” to hitting.

I wouldn’t be so cavalier as to toss out the concept because someone that was highly athletically gifted didn’t learn about it until he made it into the pros.

What we learn from the Bautista example is that the holy grail works well for a pro that discovers it.

For those that don’t have highly gifted athletic abilities, then the use of the holy grail is more important, not less important.

Go ahead and adjust your placement in the box. But don’t make a steady habit of that … because at the older ages a good pitcher will make you look foolish. If you are deep in the box, or up in the box, then you are susceptible to certain pitches. I have made pitch calls for ‘perfect games’ when the opposing team would use a strategy of placing their hitters ‘up’ and/or ‘back’ in the box.

At 10U … it may not matter much. Depends on one’s goals. I consider box placement to be a bandaide solution … which doesn’t mean it’s a horrible solution … just a short term fix to win a game or two. Longer term … teach the mechanics that allow for efficient “reading of the pitch” and “timing”.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Bonds drill.

 

[Rocketech1]

DD 10u team is gonna see some flamethrowers(low 50s) in a few weeks. Most kids we see locally throw mid 40s. Gonna have her hit in front of the box for next few weeks. Maybe some math guys can help me. 45 in the front as opposed to 50 in the back of the box. Is this a good idea?

How did you arrive at the difference in distances? 10u distance is 35 feet from pitching plate to the back tip of home plate. Since the pitcher leaps and drags, the actual distance is around 30 feet from the release of the ball.

 

[humpty]

Rocket. The #s in my post that you quoted are speeds not distances.

 

[John T]

Amen, GM Amen!

 

[42'sdad]

"Flamethrowers" still have to throw strikes, teach them to be discaplined batters. Put some bunts in play and see if their defense is as good as the pitcher. I'm betting they aren't. Moving them up or back in the box is not going to fix the problem.

 

[JAD]

Moving to the front or back of the box is kind of like having different weight bats for different speed pitchers. It might help a little, but sooner or later your DD will have to learn to adjust to different pitch speeds "on the fly". Good pitchers can vary the speed of their pitches to keep the batters off balance. If you move your DD in the back of the box, hitting movement pitches will be more difficult, although I have not seen many pitchers at 10U with good movement pitches.